A unicorn

How can that be when Kelly’s leaving and Trump is a bully and coward? But the Post says it is so.

Kelly’s departure is anticlimactic, after months of the president’s musing about replacing him and complaining about his chief of staff to some advisers, even discussing possible successors. Still, the president did not diminish Kelly as he prepares to leave the White House, as he has done in other firings, and has no plans to humiliate Kelly, officials said. Current and former officials said Trump continues to respect Kelly, no matter how often the two men clashed.

I’m floored. He should get some kind of award, don’t you think? No plans to humiliate Kelly – it’s like a Christmas miracle.

Kushner and Ivanka Trump have battled for some time to replace Kelly, and the firing showed their continued influence in a West Wing where the president’s family members often have the last say.

The couple told others privately that Kelly shared damaging stories about them and had not always served the president well. For his part, Kelly joked that the couple was “playing government” and said they should never have been brought into the White House — and that the pair thought they did not have to follow the traditional rules.

Joked? That’s not a joke, it’s the straight-up truth. Of course they’re playing at government, because they have zero education or experience that would qualify them for even a low-level job in government, let alone senior adviser to the president. Playing at it is exactly what they’re doing.

The chief of staff has told others in the White House that Trump is ignorant of the workings of much of the government — including military operations, immigration laws and Congress — and that he is obsessed with his news coverage.

To “military operations, immigration laws and Congress” add everything else; he knows nothing about any of it. He’s a stupid, ignorant, lazy man with the intellectual curiosity of a flatworm.

Kelly didn’t get to be a four star General by holding picnics for his care bear collection. Then again, for all his faults (and he has a number), I can’t imagine him engaging in a gratuitous slanging match with his Commander in Chief. Not even after retirement. There would need to be a breach of Trump’s right to rule in some egregious manner I suspect for that to occur. You ask if that has not already occurred? Apparently not egregious enough by Kelly’s standards. You did note he was pretty ruthless.

Speculation here, but maybe Kelly has dirt on Trump that might keep him safe from Angry Cheeto’s wrath, though one wonders what dirt could possibly be left. His position might have given him greater opportunity to witness more damaging behaviour on Trump’s part than most others in the White House. Given Trump’s track record of shitting on those he’s cast aside, this apparent restraint on Trump’s part does seem pretty unusual. What else, other than fear, could keep Trump from heaping abuse on Kelly as he departs?

He could yet stay true to form and blow it all up with a tweetstorm at the eleventh hour. Circumspection and prudence are not exactly his strong suits, and given his penchant for incriminating himself and obstructing justice in public, his instinct for self-preservation (as opposed to self-serving) is not the best.

YNnB, everything in your comment makes sense to me; I’ll just add that the article also said Kelly has damaging stories about Kushner and Ivanka.

If Kelly would tell damaging stories about the President, then I expect the GOP would support the President, and Kelly would lose. But if Kelly would tell damaging stories about Kushner or Ivanka, then I expect the GOP would not feel invested, and would not support them.